Chapter 42: Huh? Why is she getting married?

“And that old fossil dares threaten me?”
The old woman’s hand froze mid-push on the door, a chilling glint flashing in her eyes, her tone turning venomously cold.

“If not for the Li Clan ruining my path and cutting off my future, would I be cowering like a turtle in this wretched place, clinging to life?”

She took a deep breath, suppressing her roiling anger.
Her cloudy eyes gleamed with cunning.
“Oh, right.”

As if suddenly recalling something, her tone feigned realization.
“You’ve gone to great lengths to get that girl the Netherancient Heavenly Venerable’s inheritance, haven’t you? That one… tsk, tsk, tsk.”

She clicked her tongue.
“Connected to the Li Clan’s ancestor by a thousand threads, yet foolishly died for him… how interesting.”

Her lips curled slightly.
“Looks like tomorrow, I’ll need to add some fuel to make this play… burn brighter.”

“If those old relics in the village manage to scrape some life-extending treasures from the Netherancient Heavenly Venerable’s legacy and cling to a few more years… I’d be so pissed I’d lose years off my own life.”

Her words fell, and she pushed open the weathered wooden door, her figure vanishing into the house.

Inside, dim candlelight flickered, as if it might snuff out any moment.

Outside, Li Tianxing gripped the blood-red ring tightly, his golden eyes flickering in the deepening twilight.

Inside the house, Xie Qiyang lay quietly, hands neatly folded on her flat stomach, breathing steady, her sleeping face serene and beautiful, like an innocent sprite.

The old woman approached the bed, unabashedly studying her from head to toe.

The more she looked, the more satisfied she grew, a trace of irrepressible fervor in her eyes—she even felt the urge to take her as a disciple.

“What a seedling… truly a fine seedling…” she murmured, her withered fingers nearly reaching to touch Xie Qiyang’s forehead.

But the next moment, she forcibly restrained herself, a deep wariness flashing in her cloudy eyes.
“Pity… the karmic threads on this girl are dense and tangled. Can’t touch her, can’t touch…”

She shook her head regretfully, withdrawing her hand.

Earlier, when she’d confronted Old Man Chen, she’d probed for news about the Jiang Clan to get a sense of things.
The intel: the Jiang Clan had been eerily quiet for a decade.
Their elders and younger generation stayed hidden, yet they propped up Jiang Ningshuang, the Lunar Saint Body, to the heavens, boasting to everyone, “Our Ningshuang has the potential of a Great Emperor,” as if they wanted the whole world to know.

“Hmph, old tricks!”
Her eyes gleamed with knowing clarity, as only a fellow schemer could understand.

“The Jiang Clan’s playing bait with the Lunar Saint Body—what a bold move.”
She frowned, puzzled.
“But who are they fishing for? Another imperial clan? Some hidden ancient royal tribe? What kind of fish justifies such a heavy bet? Aren’t they afraid the bait gets swallowed before they hook anything? Or… are they that confident they can control everything?”

The more she thought, the deeper the waters seemed.

After a long pause, her gaze returned to Xie Qiyang, scrutinizing.
Her withered fingers lightly rested on Xie Qiyang’s wrist, a wisp of refined, probing spiritual energy slipping in.

“Hm?”
Her brows shot up, shock crossing her face.
“The Jiang Clan… only gave her half a technique? An imperial clan, so stingy? Aren’t they worried her Lunar Saint Body’s origin will destabilize, the cold backlashing and crippling her? Such petty behavior from a grand imperial clan? Or…”

A flicker of suspicion crossed her eyes.
“Are the Jiang Clan’s minds as unhinged as the Li Clan’s lunatics?!”

Her probe complete, she didn’t linger.
Her fingers formed a sword gesture, a pinpoint of condensed emerald divine light flaring at her fingertip, gently touching Xie Qiyang’s forehead.

The light flowed, silently dispelling the Dream of a Thousand Ages effect on her soul.

“Mmm…”
Xie Qiyang’s lashes fluttered, a soft whimper escaping her lips.

She slowly opened her eyes, her clear, glass-like blue eyes hazy with just-woken confusion.

Propping herself up slowly, she rubbed her eyes, her gaze focusing to meet the old woman’s complex, unreadable stare.

That look held scrutiny, calculation, satisfaction, and… a faint, almost imperceptible trace of… pity?

Pity me?
Xie Qiyang’s heart stirred with confusion.
Searching her memories, she was certain she had no connection to this terrifyingly powerful, enigmatic-eyed old woman.
Why pity her, a stranger?

Li Tianxing’s warning flashed in her mind: “Pretend to have amnesia.”

In a split second, Xie Qiyang channeled her inner actress.

She shrank back, eyes wide like a startled fawn, brimming with tears, her voice soft, trembling, and perfectly bewildered:

“Who… who are you? Where… where am I?”

The old woman was momentarily thrown by the sudden amnesia act.

But old ginger’s spicier—she squinted faintly, then plastered on a beaming, grandmotherly smile.

“Silly child, did the fall muddle you? I’m your grandma, and you’re my precious granddaughter-in-law.
Yesterday, we went herb-picking in the mountains, and you slipped, tumbling off a cliff. Scared me half to death! Thank heavens you’re awake.”

“R-Really?”
Xie Qiyang furrowed her delicate brows, her small hands twisting her clothes unconsciously, her mind a blank as she tried to recall.

“I… I can’t remember anything… my head hurts…”

“Oh, don’t force it if you can’t remember!”
The old woman plopped onto the bed, naturally grabbing Xie Qiyang’s cold hand, patting it comfortingly.

“You’re awake—that’s what matters! Forget the past. Look forward. Tomorrow’s your big day, a joyous occasion. Be happy!”

“M-Marriage?!”
Xie Qiyang was genuinely shocked, her eyes widening, mouth agape, her face draining of color.

Her inner voice screamed: Li Tianxing, you lying bastard! Wasn’t this supposed to be an act?! How’d it turn into a real marriage?! Bridal chamber?! This script’s all wrong!

She barely suppressed the storm in her heart, clinging to her amnesiac, innocent persona, her voice softer and more confused.

“Then… who am I marrying? I… I can’t remember anything…”

The old woman grinned, resolute.
“Tianze, of course—Li Tianze. You two are a match made in heaven!”

“Oh…”
Xie Qiyang’s head drooped, her long silver hair hiding her utterly defeated expression.

To her, it didn’t matter much who she married—the one in the bridal chamber would be that guy.

Her inner self was sobbing in a corner.
Good news: Li Tianxing said it’s an act. Bad news: It’s freaking real—I’m actually getting married and facing a bridal chamber! Help! I don’t want to be taken! 😭